Master plate for key punches



Dec. 17, 1940.

L. L. MQCART I MASTER PLATE FOR KEY PUNCHES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1' I FiledNov. 29, 1939 FIG.2

- INVIENTOI'L Dec. 17, 1940. Q Mc -2,ZZ5,314 v MASTER PLATE FOR KEYruncnss Filed Nov. 29, 19:59 2 shuts-sneer 2 I YVFIGJJYWW///////////////AV Patented Dec. 17, 1940 UNITED STATES P TE a p I Ims'raarmr ii zifiln ruNcn is as... 1.. mom, Forest mus, N. n, assignor,by mesne assignments, to The ,McBee Company.

Athens, Ohio d Application November29,'19 39, Serial No. 306,603

gajcisiins. v(enlist -111) My invention relates to that typeoi devicesillustrated and described in United States.

Letters Patent No. 2,144,412, issued January 17, 1939, which describes amachine ror' slotting cards 5 in order that they may be sorted'into anumerical or other desired sequence as taught by United States LettersPatent No. 1,544,172,"issued to Alfred Perkins. This patent showsa-st'ack of cards, each of which is provided with a series of mperforations adjacent one or more edges of the card. These perforationsare located so that each one can have the material intermediate theperforations and the edge ofthe card cut away forming a notch or slot.These notches are arranged to form a pattern which will designate aparticular desired classification. By passinga sorting device throughthe periorations in a mixed stack of cards and lifting it, the cardswhich do not have slots or notches will be carried upward by the sortingrod or device and by placing these cards at the back of the stack andrepeating the operation the cards will be sorted into a numericalsequence in a very short time. This is fully set forth and described inthe said Perkins patent to which reference may be had for a full andcomplete description of the device inall its details. In my Patent No.2,144,412 hereinbefore referred to, I describe a master card or keyplate which has a pattern of notches or slots cut in one of its edges sothat only certain of the punches may be operated thereby causing theremaining punches to notch or slot the desired pattern in the card whichis to be slotted. When the master card or plate having the desiredpattern is placed in the machine, one or more of the devices constructedaccording to the Perkins patents are inserted in the machine and onoperation of the punches, the pattern of slots appearing on the mastercard will be reproduced on the Perkins card.

In order to insure the correct pattern of notches being punched in thecard. the key plate must always be in the correct position. It is commonpractice forcompanies to issue'credit 5 cards to their customers as ameans of identification and the clerk makes a record of the transactionby copying in longfiiand the name and address and account numbers, butthe handwriting is not always legible and frequently employees makeerrors in the spelling of the names or copying of the addresses.

My invention has for its object to provide a master card having. notonly the openings adapted to registerwith one or more die slots, but

553.150 the perforations called for by the Perkins always being in thepatentso that apattern of slots; or notches designating this accountnumber may be formed'in the card; This card is-suppliedito the customerwhom on making a purchase, hands it toqthe clerk. The clerk insteadofhavin'g' tor'lahoriously copy the-name and address,"simply-inserts thecard in a punching device, such as is described in my'patent, or 2-similar machine, this key'plate or master card will render inactive. all

of the punches except those which would slotthe o pattern of notchesdesignating the particular account number'of that particular customer.-The clerk would then insert a sales slip and charge card, or either ofthem, and .on the device being operated the sales slip and charge card,or either 15 one, as the case may be. will be slottedwith the pattern ofslots or notches which identify that particular account number. Thiseliminatesthe element of error and-by sorting as described in thePerkins patent, posting of the account to the 20 I right customer isinsured. l

A further object is to'provide means which will automatically insure themaster card or key plate correct position and prevent the punches beinginserted in the master card 25 upside down.

My means of accomplishing the foregoing objects may be more fullycomprehended by having reference to the accompanying drawings which arehereunto annexed and are a part of this 30 specification in which I haveillustrated a master card embodying my invention: g Fig. 1 is a planview of a master card;

Fig. 2 is a similar view with a pattern of slots or notches referring toa single classification as- 35 illustrated, it is number 1226, which isthe account number of the customer in question;

Fig. 3 is a view of the master card ina machine; V Fig. 4 is a'sectionalview on line 4-4 in Fig. 8. 40 Similar reference numerals refer tosimilar parts throughout the specification. As shown in the drawings,the plate or master 7 card I is provided with a plurality of openings}adapted to register with one or more of the die 5 slots in the dieblockof a slotting machine. It

should be understood that the location and num- I bers of these openingswill be determined by the pattern of notches to be cut in the sales slipor charge card. Adjacent the other edges of the 50 plate I I formperforations I which are so disposed adiacent one or more edges of theplate or card I that one can cut away the intervening material 4 on eachas shown by dotted lines I in Fig. 1 thus forming a slot} in Fig.2. Byslotting J5

